Equipment: Katalla And 0-4-0Ts

Lone Janson's book covers the start of CR&NW construction from Katalla, rather than Cordova, in June 1907. Construction of a railroad intended to go north to Kennicott via the Bering River coal field continued until November of that year. However, in a political move, Theodore Roosevelt withdrew the Bering River coal field leases, and severe storms in November 1907, which destroyed much of the work that had been done to that point, convinced the Morgan-Guggenheim syndicate to transfer their railhead to Cordova.

Some equipment appears to have been used in Katalla and then transferred to Cordova, while other equipment was not. For example, here is a photo of an 0-6-0 locomotive switching wooden hopper-style ballast cars on the Katalla project.

While it appears that Dickson 0-4-0Ts, steam shovels, and some Western dump cars went from Katalla to Cordova, there is no record that the 0-6-0 shown in the photo went to Cordova, and the hopper-style cars also do not appear in later CR&NW photos. This page says a Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg 2-6-0 number 82 was sold to the CR&NW about 1906. The page adds that the BR&P locos were used as switchers with slope back tenders. It's hard to see from the photo whether the loco shown has a lead truck, or whether it may have had that lead truck removed at some point. In any case, if it is not a BR&P loco, its origin is a mystery, as is what happened to it after 1907.

Here is a closer shot of the hopper-style ballast cars and a steam shovel with a crude shelter. These apparently did not go to Cordova.

This looks like assembly of a Dickson 0-4-0T from a kit, probably in June 1907. A more proper steam shovel is in the background.

Here is a completed Dickson loco on the line in July 1907.

But by November 1907, storms had wreaked havoc with the Katalla operation:

Here's a good shot of loco 5 after transfer to Cordova:

The 4-wheel Western dump car is lettered "Katalla Company" with the number 53. The Katalla Company, according to Janson, continued after the move to Cordova and was the actual buider of the CR&NW steel bridges. This photo shows two of the Dickson dinkies with more Western 4-wheel dump cars, all lettered for the Katalla Company.

Some of the larger 12-yard Western dumps may have been used at Katalla as well.

However, if work stopped at Katalla during November 1907, it suggests that snow on these cars would imply they've been moved to the Cordova operation, or never worked at Katalla.

Janson says the CR&NW had four steam shovels. Here is one, apparently at Katalla, lettered for the Katalla Company:

Here is a different shovel, apparently at Katalla:

It seems likely that these were moved to Cordova.

As always, I am eager to be corrected.

Mile 196 Kennicott

According to Wikipedia,

In 1903, additional financing for the mining came from the Guggenheim family and J.P. Morgan, who formed the Kennecott Copper Corporation in 1903. The corporation and company town were named after Kennicott Glacier in the valley below, which was named after Robert Kennicott, a naturalist who explored in Alaska in the mid-1800s. A mistake was purportedly made on some paperwork when Kennecott Mining Company was formed, forever spelling it with an "e". Today all the natural features of the area still carry the original Kennicott spelling with an "i", while man-made features associated with the old mining “camp” are spelled Kennecott. When the residents are collectively referred to, the spelling Kennicott is usually (and colloquially) used.

Kennecott had five mines: Bonanza, Jumbo, Mother Lode, Erie and Glacier. Glacier, which is really an ore extension of the Bonanza, was an open-pit mine and was only mined during the summer. Bonanza and Jumbo were on Bonanza Ridge about 5 km, (3 miles) from Kennecott. The Mother Lode mine was located on the east side of the ridge from Kennecott. The Bonanza, Jumbo, Mother Lode and Erie mines were connected by tunnels. The Erie mine was perched on the northwest end of Bonanza Ridge overlooking Root Glacier about 6 km (3.7 mi) up a glacial trail from Kennecott. Ore was hoisted to Kennecott via the trams which head-ended at Bonanza and Jumbo. From Kennecott the ore was hauled mostly in 140-pound sacks on steel flat cars to Cordova, 196 rail miles away on the Copper River and Northwestern Railway (CRNW).

On April 8, 1911, the first ore train hauled $250,000 of 70% copper ore. In 1916, the peak year for production, the mines produced copper ore valued at $32.4 million.In 1925 a Kennecott geologist predicted that the end of the high-grade ore bodies was in sight. The highest grades of ore were largely depleted by the early 1930s. The Glacier Mine closed in 1929. The Mother Lode was next, closing at the end of July 1938. The final three, Erie, Jumbo and Bonanza, closed that September. The last train left Kennecott on November 10, 1938, leaving it a ghost town. In the 27 years of operation, except for 2½ years of shutdown, Kennecott produced 4.625 million tons of ore averaging 13 per cent copper valued at roughly $207,000,000 with an estimated profit of $100,000,000. In addition, the silver by-product from this operation brought in another 4½ to 9 million dollars in revenues.

The last spike of the CR&NW was driven in Kennicott. Here are two photos of the event:


This is a view of the railroad and mine very soon after completion. Few of the later buildings are in place. The flat cars are most likely carrying pilings.

The railroad apparently entered Kennicott via a steep cut. Here are post-abandonment views:


There was a sawmill south of the main mill facilities:

The Historic Engineering Record has prepared numerous drawings covering many of the mine and mill structures in Kennicott.

This appears to be an early view focusing on the railroad facilities.

The large barnlike shed to the left of center just behind the boxcar is where the copper concentrates were bagged and loaded onto the freight cars. The somewhat later photo below shows an ore loading tipple in front of the bagging shed, the Kennicott CR&NW depot, and steel flat cars loaded with bagged concentrate.

This view from about 1925 shows flat cars loaded with bagged concentrate emerging from the bagging shed.

The very similar view below shows railroad structures. The smaller building with the station sign is probably the train order office. The larger building behind it is probably a freight shed.

I think the empty flat cars, which were the main type used to haul the bagged concentrate, were shoved up the lead to the end of track past the bagging shed. Then a switch was thrown above the bagging shed so that the cars would roll down into the shed when brakes were released. Then they were gradually allowed to roll through the shed by gravity as loading continued.

Here is a dogsled with dog team near the depot:

Here is a mixed train either arriving or departing Kennicott. A passenger coach or combine is closest to the camera:

Here is a view from November 1923 of equipment brought in, presumably on a mixed train:

The tank car may have brought in chemicals for the leaching process.

Mile 190 McCarthy

According to this site,

The Kennecott copper mines and camp were established about 1908 across from the Kennicott Glacier, five miles north of McCarthy. An early misspelling named the mine and mining company Kennecott, while the town, river and glacier are spelled Kennicott. In 1911, the Copper River & Northwestern Railway carried its first car load of ore from Kennecott to Cordova. Since no gambling or drinking were allowed at the town of Kennicott, nearby McCarthy developed as a colorful diversion for the miners. It provided a newspaper, stores, hotels, restaurants, saloons, a red light district, housing over 800 residents. Kennicott became a company town with homes, a school, hospital, gym, tennis court and silent movie theater. Over its 30-year operation, $200 million in ore was extracted from Kennecott, the richest concentration of copper ore known in the world. In 1938, the mines closed and both towns were abandoned.

The long trestle shown in the previous post entered the town from the west, and the line skirted the town on the north side. Here is a view looking southeast from the low hills north of town:

Here is a view from a wider angle, showing a water tank closer to the town:

I haven't been able to find either a good photo or a map/valuation drawing showing track layout or the exact location of other railroad structures in McCarthy. In this view from farther southwest, the railroad would have run behind the town.

Here is a contemporary view of what looks like a railroad structure, either an agent/operator office or bunkhouse:

A even more recent view of this structure:

In 1953, the freight house was still in existence, along with the track and rails. Speeders were in use for tourist excursions to Kennicott:

I haven't been able to find where these structures may have been in relation to the town photos I've found. They may be more recent than the construction-era photos that are most common. Here is an early wintertime view of McCarthy from the south. The railroad trestle is visible in the upper left:

A railroad turntable still exists in McCarthy, as shown in this video. I haven't been able to determine where this is located in relation to the town, nor in relation to any other trackage. Any insights will be greatly appreciated. Here is a a still photo, but new growth of trees makes identifying its precise location impossible.

The existence of a turntable suggests that locos were turned in McCarthy and shoved their trains the rest of the way to Kennicott.

There is now a carbody on trucks lettered for the CR&NW in McCarthy, but this is clearly a recent placement. The car is a former Alaska Railroad box-outfit car, rebuilt from a World War II troop kitchen car and moved to McCarthy over the highway well after abandonment of the CR&NW.

Mile 145 to Mile 190

Several key locations along this part of the route aren't clearly identified by mile. I've tried to give approximate mileage, but I'm ready to stand corrected by anyone with better information.

A shot identified as mile 145, possibly past the Kuskulana bridge:

Mile 150:

A section house still in existence at Chokostna, about mile 160:

The Gilahina River bridge at about mile 165:

Two more recent views of the Gilahina bridge in deteriorating condition:


Mile 170:

Mile 173:

Bridge 174A:

The Lakina River trestle at mile 174:

Mile 175 at the lower end of Long Lake:


A bridge crossing the Kennicott River, with McCarthy in the distance:

This is a Hegg photo labeled in the Alaska Digital Archives as McCarthy bridge construction.

A commenter suggests this may actually be the Copper River crossing at Chitina, but the 4% approach on that bridge is not apparent here.

Mile 145 Kuskulana River Bridge

The Kuskulana River Bridge at mile 145 was the last steel bridge on the CR&NW. Like the others, it was not built by Michael Heney, the contractor, but by the Katalla Company, named for the earlier 1907 effort to build toward the copper mines. Here are construction photos:

These two shots may have been taken from the same train:


Here is a view from the canyon floor:

Beginning at 1:36 of this video, there is a sequence crossing this bridge.

The bridge is still in existence and is used on the highway between Chitina and McCarthy.